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Seven WOZA members arrested - Two badly beaten
Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA)
February 28, 2011

Seven members, two beaten, all spending night in custody in Bulawayo and were denied food brought in by relatives.

At noon, today 28 February 2011, three Men of Zimbabwe Arise (MOZA) members were arrested in Entumbane at a member's house. Police came into the house where the members were meeting. They made the men present; numbering about 15, hold out their hands. They then arrested Proud Pandeya, Noah Mapfuma who they said had black hands, and according to them this is a sure sign that they smoke cannabis. At this point Gift Nkomo walked in and was also subsequently arrested. They were taken by these plain-clothes police officers to their local police station. One of the police officers fisted Proud four times in the face when they were arrested. They were released them after 2 hours. At five pm, police officers then came to re-arrest them and tried to arrest a fourth member who was not at home. The were said to be being taken to Bulawayo Central Police station for questioning but the feeding team could not locate them there.

At 4pm today, another 4 members were arrested, three women and one male. They were arrested in the Mabutweni suburb of Bulawayo at the home of Sitshiyiwe Ngwenya. They were sitting in the house and counting burial society contributions. The four who include Joyce Ndebele, Moreblessing Dube, one a nursing mother, and the male member Kholwani Ndlovu were arrested by plain clothed police officers from Western Commonage police station. They were loaded into a white van and taken to Western Commonage police station in Mpopoma south. The lawyer, Lizwe Jamela of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights was unable to see them as they were being relocated to Bulawayo Central police station.

Relatives, who sacrificed to buy food at a food outlet, as there was no electricity to cook food, arrived at the police station to give the food to the activists but were detained for an hour. Police Officer George Levison Ngwenya, threatened to arrest them for bringing 'bought' food but another police officer told them to leave with the food. Kholwani was obviously in pain from being severely beaten and him and the three women arrested at Mabutweni were seen by their relatives in the Law and Order department and were being made to answer profile questions and were due to be relocated for a third time to Sauerstown police station along the airport road.

WOZA leaders wish to express concern for members arrested and for the two male members beaten by police. We also express concern about the whereabouts of the 3 members arrested in Entumbane who were not to be found at Bulawayo Central police station.

WOZA is currently consulting members on the introduction of a development programme to be entitled Demand Dignity - Demand Development. This programme is based on the works of Mahatma Ghandi who combined an obstructive and constructive programme to mobilise independence to the Indian people. The CONSTRUCTIVE (productive and practical) Program emphasises on "cooperating with good" whiles the OBSTRUCTIVE (disruptive and defiant) Program's emphasis is on "resisting evil."

Update
March 01, 2011

Number of arrested rises to 21

The seven members arrested remain in custody and finally managed to receive a meal at lunchtime today. All seven will spend a second night in custody.

The Mabutweni 4, three ladies and one man, were seen by relatives at lunchtime and were walking uncomfortable. They made a sign that they had been beaten under the soles of their feet. This is Falanga, a form of torture. These four complained that there was no water at Sauerstown police station. They have now been moved to central police station and as the relocation was conducted over feeding time, police refused to allow them to get their meal late.

Moreblessing, the nursing mother continues to be denied access to her baby. Attempts by the lawyer to see his clients failed and when he pushed the Investigating officer Z. Moyo to discuss charges he was told to relax 'we have finished arresting people yet'.

Another 14 people, 4 members and 10 non-members were meeting in Mabutweni to contribute their $1 burial society fee; police swooped and arrested them all. The 14, all women are not accounted for at this time, the hunt for them at different police stations continues. There is not food given to prisoners at police stations so if relatives fail to bring in food, they starve.

Police officers, some in full Riot gear visited the homes of another 6 members but they were not home.

Editors note about the Demand Dignity - Demand Development Programme

History have shown us that while nonviolent movements have successfully liberated people from repressive regimes in almost all cases the same problems of poverty and other forms of structural violence have returned to undermine the gains of the struggle. This is not because Nonviolence doesn't "work" but because Nonviolence campaigns or obstructive campaigns need to have a Constructive Program to make them complete and deliver permanent, constructive change.

So WOZA/MOZA have resolved to begin a Constructive Program for members so that they can see positive alternatives to oppression, let them begin to act out the future, become productive and practical. As we do this we will also escalate our demand for social justice. WOZA and MOZA have been conducting some of these activities as part of our fight for freedom and our demand for social justice, a new constitution and a better life - we have been trying to see the Zimbabwe of our dreams.

Visit the WOZA fact sheet

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